Trucks include rigid truck and trucks adapted to pull trailers, both enclosed and open, for transporting goods and materials. Certain trucks, sometimes called tractor units, are used to pull various types of open trailers, including flat bed, drop deck, double drops and removable goosenecks (RGNs). Items being shipped can readily be loaded on the deck or cargo bed of a trailer, which for certain goods can be loaded more easily than through a rear door of an enclosed fixed-wall trailer.
On flat bed trailers, fasteners, such as tie downs, can be used to hold freight, cargo and equipment during transport. Various types of straps, such a ratchet straps and winch straps, are used to tie down items being shipped on a trailer. Tie downs are often webbing outfitted with attachment hardware. Standard tie downs include feeding straps and chain through rail pockets or a rubber seal. Such tied down cargo or equipment can be exposed on the cargo bed or deck of a trailer.
Tarp systems for flat bed trailers include tarps placed over shipping items tied down by rubber straps or ropes. Preferably, flat bed trailers have retractable tarp systems that slide along tracks on each side of the flat bed deck, which may enclose the freight, cargo or equipment.
Flat bed tractor trailers having a retractable tarping system can transport a wide variety of freight, much of which freight cannot be loaded into conventional van-type transport trailers having in-situ walls and roof. The tarping system includes a tarpaulin supported by numerous vertically disposed frame members that span across the bed of the trailer and are attached at each of their opposite free ends to a respective trolley having rollers that engage an elongate track disposed along each side of the trailer. The trollies are manually urged along the elongate tracks to move the tarp system between its trailer enclosing configuration and its open configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,796, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a track and trolley assembly for use with a tarpaulin enclosing system on a flat bed trailer defining a central longitudinal axis and having a bed portion defined by left and right lateral side edges. The track and trolley assembly comprises a plurality of trollies for operatively supporting the tarpaulin enclosing system, each trolley having a frame member, at least one weight-bearing roller mounted on the frame member for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis and at least one stabilizing roller mounted on the frame member for rotation about a substantially vertical axis. An elongate track has a length, a substantially vertical trailer mounting face, a substantially horizontal weight-bearing roller receiving surface disposed along the length of the elongate track, and at least one substantially vertical stabilizing roller receiving surface disposed along the length of the elongate track. A rail is disposed substantially along the length of the elongate track and has a length, a substantially vertical trailer mounting face, and a hook-receiving rail portion disposed in laterally outwardly projecting cantilever relation from the trailer mounting face so as to be free and clear of the substantially vertical trailer mounting face, and disposed above the substantially horizontal weight-bearing roller receiving surface of the elongate track and above the at least one substantially vertical stabilizing roller receiving surface of the elongate track, for receiving at least one tie-down hook in releasably retained relation therealong. The trollies move along the elongate track such that the frame members of the trollies are disposed horizontally outboard of the hook-receiving rail portion of the rail.
U.S. Publication 2011-0175390 for Retractable Tarp System with Dual Automated Opening/Closing Mechanisms by the same inventor was published on Jul. 21, 2011, less than one year before the present filing. It is incorporated by reference. Aspects of the front system may be prior art based on sales, such as FIG. 3, but the disclosed rear closure system and dual operation are not believed to be prior art.
Trucks have electrical power, often with 24 volt batteries, that can operate accessories when hooked up to the truck. Also, trucks and trailers often have air cylinders of compressed air systems to operate air brake or other systems, which may include tanks to hold compressed air. Trucks also have hydraulic systems. These pneumatic and hydraulic systems have not been fully integrated with flatbed, drop deck, double drops and RGN trailer tarp systems.